Uniting Families Affected by Police Violence in New York State

Families United 4 Justice

Welcome to the Families United 4 Justice (FU4J) website!

Currently we are fundraising for our National Network Gathering that will take place at the 19th Annual Allied Media Conference at Wayne State University in Detroit from June 15th-18th, 2017. Our goal is to raise $15,000-$20,000 to support 30-40 family members affected by police violence to participate in this very critical convening. Please donate here.

During this network gathering we will address the following questions:

What happens when your loved one is killed by the police?
What can the anti-police brutality movement learn from families affected by police violence?
What can we learn from family members who have become veteran activists in the anti-police brutality movement?
How can families affected by police violence build collective power locally and globally?
How can communities assess the traumas experienced by families affected by police violence to better inform how we may better respond to future incidents?
How can we strategically source local resources to support families affected by police violence?
How can public health institutions specifically service families affected by police violence?
What self-care practices can family members learn to address the short and long-term trauma they experience?
What can we learn from the history of police brutality? And what do we still have to learn about this history?
What is the meaning of justice to families affected by police violence?
How can artists and media makers best support families in their struggle towards justice?

For more information please email: ACDMediaChannel@gmail.com

Families affected by police violence support the Delrawn Small-Dempsey family at the Delrawn Small-Dempsey candlelight vigil on July 6th, 2016.

HISTORY

Uniting the Families Affected by Police Violence in New York State.

Families United 4 Justice (FU4J) is an organization made up of families affected by police violence in New York State.

In early October 2014, Cynthia Howell, niece of Police Brutality victim, Alberta Spruill, called for the families most affected by police violence (those who have lost loved ones to police) of New York to come together and form a collective.

Due to the perceived need that families affected by police violence should be supported rather than exploited and should ultimately be able to represent themselves, the collective was formed with the intent to connect families and hold space for them to assess their needs, support each other, share resources, and organize together.

The first 3 meetings were held at the legendary MayDay Space at 214 Starr Street while it was still open. During those first 3 meetings families came together to share their stories and establish the foundation in which FU4J would grow from. Right after the 2nd meeting, the families participated in the democratic process and came up with the name, Families United 4 Justice.

With the support from PCM Arts and MayDay, community artists were able to work directly with family members to create portraits of their loved ones in time to lead the march on October 22nd, the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality.

In the short amount of time FU4J has been operating, nearly 50 family members have joined FU4J, participating on the listserv, in calls, meetings, conferences, panels, and events.

We envision that one day all the families will be empowered through organizing themselves rather than to have political figureheads and organizations misrepresent them.